1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to plenoptic imaging systems, and more particularly to reconstruction of images and image components in plenoptic imaging systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
The plenoptic imaging system has recently received increased attention. It can be used to recalculate a different focus point or point of view of an object, based on digital processing of the captured plenoptic image. The plenoptic system also finds application in multi-modal imaging, using a multi-modal filter array in the plane of the pupil aperture. Each filter is imaged at the sensor, effectively producing a multiplexed image of the object for each imaging modality at the filter plane. Other applications for plenoptic imaging systems include varying depth of field imaging and high dynamic range imaging.
However, a plenoptic imaging system is not designed to capture a high fidelity image of the object. Rather, the “image” captured by a plenoptic system is intentionally scrambled in a manner that allows the capture of additional lightfield information, but at the expense of image resolution. The loss of spatial resolution is a well-recognized and debilitating drawback of plenoptic imaging systems. A lenslet array at the conventional image plane spreads light on to the sensor. Therefore each image of a given modality (such as each refocused image, or each wavelength image in multispectral imaging, etc.) is restricted to as many pixels as there are lenslets.
Thus there is a need for approaches to combat this loss of spatial resolution.